Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
